Last Updated on March 6, 2024
Introducing McGettigan’s: traditional Irish hospitality for modern metropolitans.
Guest Post by Jenny McGee
With its roots in Dublin and venues in Asia, the Middle East and the USA, the newly opened McGettigan’s in Fulham is the brand’s first venue in the UK. The impressive address: Number One, Fulham Broadway, is located right outside the District Line tube station.
Always a hub of activity, with Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium within cheering distance, in recent years this area has become a popular dining and drinking destination. McGettigan’s stated objective is to offer a “meeting place for all”. I wondered what this venue would bring that wasn’t already on offer. The name doesn’t give many clues. Another Irish-themed bar?
Forget kitsch and emerald green plush, McGettigan’s décor is impressive. Here we have high-quality design which creates a modern, clutter-free yet comfortable environment. With several seating and dining areas available customers can choose from the “Library”, the “Wood Room” or the “Nest” which are all also available for private hire.
In the traditional bar area on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights you can enjoy live music and wherever you sit you can see at least one large TV screen broadcasting the best of the day’s sport.
So far, so good. Great location; impressive interior; pleasing entertainment. On the night I visited, Guy Valarino was performing from 1830, perfect for an after-work-wind-down. Now for the food!
McGettigan’s has a Michelin trained chef on site and the selection of dishes on offer, tried and tested through the group’s sister venues, is gradually evolving in line with the tastes of the Fulham clientele.
The eclectic dinner menu certainly offers something for everyone. Traditional “pub fayre” features alongside modern classics and salads. It’s when you read the detailed list of ingredients assigned to each dish that you begin to understand that the McGettigan’s team is serious about their food. Fellow diners were tucking into large portions of fresh, crisp fish and chips. Others were enjoying the towering burgers of which there are five to choose from. We began with a selection of three dishes from the Small Plates menu, on which everything looked very appetising. The Chilli & Lime Squid served with harissa lime aioli, (£6.00) was soft and meltingly good. The McGettigan’s Signature Wings Buffalo Style (£7.00) did not disappoint. They were dressed in a delicious hot and spicy sauce and came with crudités and a Cashel blue dressing. The generous portion of Pork Belly Popcorn (£6.50), tossed with honey and sesame, was very moreish – crisp and sweet and sticky.
From the main course In House Specials selection my companion chose the Beef & Guinness pie served with mashed potato (£12.00). The potato was perfectly smooth and the pie, which was packed with meat and a rich gravy, was described as the best he’d ever eaten. This is a dish to entice you back during London’s gloomy winter days.
I was tempted by the Grilled Irish Salmon (served with orange and cardamom Mediterranean veg ragout) (£14.00) but opted for a more retro lemon & Garlic Chicken Schnitzel (£9.50). It was moist and tasty, accompanied by parmesan and garlic fries alongside a very fresh watercress and cherry tomato salad. As with the small plates, the portion sizes were very satisfying.
The cocktail menu is extensive and includes several mixes unique to the McGettigan’s group. The bar is stocked with a wide range of both classic and newer brands of Irish Whiskeys, ciders, ales and stouts alongside London’s Meantime Brewery. The list of red, white and rose wines range from £17.00 – £27.00 per bottle; my glass of Sant Orsolo Prosecco (£5.00 glass, £23.00 bottle) was enjoyably light and fresh. As you would expect in an Irish pub, the Guinness is excellent. The staff have been trained to pour the perfect pint and the result received a big thumbs up from my companion for its velvety depth and smoothness.
McGettigan’s Fulham ticks all the boxes. The décor is inviting; the quality food and drink is offered at affordable prices; the staff are friendly; there’s music; there’s sport and the tube is just across the road. It works for me and there’s certainly nothing to match it in the area so it could indeed succeed in becoming “the meeting place for all”.
McGettigan’s
1 Fulham Broadway,
London SW6 1AA
Disclosure: We dined as guests of McGettigan’s.
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